President Meeting With Incoming House Leaders Who Are Primed to Set New Agenda
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President Barack Obama at the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, Monday, Nov. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
(CBS) Right after the midterm election, President Barack Obama invited Congressional leaders to the White House on November 18. But the newly victorious Republicans said, "Sorry, we're busy."
The president ignored the rebuff, and he is framing today's meeting with incoming GOP leadership as the first step toward a new and productive relationship, reports CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante.
Today he squares off with his biggest political rivals, incoming House Speaker John Boehner and the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell.
The top two items on the table today: Extending the Bush tax cuts and ratifying the new START nuclear arms control pact with Russia.
Other issues include extending unemployment insurance; repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; and the report of a commission on ways to reduce the federal deficit.
On Monday Mr. Obama made a point of raising expectations for Republicans, who up to now have united against him.
He said he hopes the meeting "will mark a first step toward a new and productive working relationship, because we now have a shared responsibility to deliver for the American people on the issues that define not only these times but our future, and I hope we can do that in a cooperative and serious way."
But the newly-empowered Republicans, meeting with the president for the first time since the election, seem in no mood to compromise, as evident in an op-ed in today's Washington Post by Boehner and McConnell.
Its language is sure to aggravate the president and Democrats:
"Our friends across the aisle have clung for too long to the liberal wish list, including a job-killing health-care law ...
" . . . Now we have a real chance to move away from the misplaced priorities of the past two years ..."
"... Democrats in Congress are working feverishly to move legislation on everything except stopping the tax hikes and lowering spending..."
The White House spokesman is trying to keep expectations for today's meeting low - probably a good idea in light of what the Republicans had to say in their op-ed in today's paper.
On CBS' "The Early Show" this morning, Rep. Eric Cantor (soon to be the new House Majority Leader), said of today's meeting that he was "hopeful that we can all get together this morning and try and drive towards producing results for the American people."
Cantor said that the voters' message on November 2 was that more had to be done to address unemployment and job creation. "And one of the biggest hurdles to seeing that happen right now is the uncertainty surrounding the fact that tax rates are going to go up on everybody in just a few weeks if we don't act here in Washington.
"So I'm hopeful that we're going to come together to try and resolve that issue right up front," he told anchor Harry Smith.
Smith asked Cantor if there was any "wiggle room" on the Republican side, after the White House said they were on board with extending the lower tax rates for all except the very top income earners.
"We're not going to agree with [President Obama] on everything," Cantor said. "But there is one thing that I do think we can come together on, and that's the fact that we have got a stubborn unemployment rate that is hovering around 10%. We've got to bring that back down, and right now, the best thing to do is to make sure that no one gets a tax hike while we're trying to see more jobs created in the private sector.
"So, hopefully we'll see a president that is responsive to the people that spoke on November 2. He can join us, and we can make sure now we go forward with an economy that's got, you know, 'all systems go' as far as trying to get more jobs."
[Republicans who say extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans - which critics say will cost American taxpayers $700 billion over the next decade - claim that giving back to the rich will spur job creation. Analysis of unemployment from the past decade, however, shows that President Bush's cutting of tax rates on the wealthy preceded massive job losses, not job creation.
And in response to GOP claims that 750,000 small businesses will be hurt by allowing the top tax rates to expire, the Washington Post reports, "Less than 2 percent of tax returns reporting small-business income are filed by taxpayers in the top two income brackets."]
When asked if Mr. Obama's announcement yesterday that federal wages would be frozen for the next two years was a step in the right direction (in terms of compromise with Republicans), Cantor said, "Well, absolutely. That's the kind of, you know, position and cooperation that we've been asking for. This is an idea of freezing federal pay that the Republicans put forward back in May, and so we embrace that.
"Certainly I know that the American people feel that the federal government has grown entirely too big, and the pay scales need to be brought down back to match the market rates in the private sector."
Cantor may be referencing a recent USA Today study of Bureau of Economic Analysis data which showed federal civilian employees have seen their compensation rise in the past decade, to more than double what private sector workers earn.
The libertarian Cato Institute defines the $240 billion total in federal wages and benefits paid in 2009 as, "That's $240 billion in economic resources extracted from the private sector."
But Cato also shows that, among "industries," federal civilian employees actually rank sixth in compensation (wages and benefits), behind securities and investment; funds, trust and investments; oil and gas extraction; petroleum and coal; and pipeline transportation. Wall Street and Energy still trump the Civil Servant.
Public employee unions say the growing gap in compensation represents not government largesse but pruning, since over the past decade many lower-paying, lower-skilled government jobs have been contracted out to the private sector.
© MMX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The president ignored the rebuff, and he is framing today's meeting with incoming GOP leadership as the first step toward a new and productive relationship, reports CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante.
Today he squares off with his biggest political rivals, incoming House Speaker John Boehner and the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell.
The top two items on the table today: Extending the Bush tax cuts and ratifying the new START nuclear arms control pact with Russia.
Other issues include extending unemployment insurance; repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"; and the report of a commission on ways to reduce the federal deficit.
On Monday Mr. Obama made a point of raising expectations for Republicans, who up to now have united against him.
He said he hopes the meeting "will mark a first step toward a new and productive working relationship, because we now have a shared responsibility to deliver for the American people on the issues that define not only these times but our future, and I hope we can do that in a cooperative and serious way."
But the newly-empowered Republicans, meeting with the president for the first time since the election, seem in no mood to compromise, as evident in an op-ed in today's Washington Post by Boehner and McConnell.
Its language is sure to aggravate the president and Democrats:
"Our friends across the aisle have clung for too long to the liberal wish list, including a job-killing health-care law ...
" . . . Now we have a real chance to move away from the misplaced priorities of the past two years ..."
"... Democrats in Congress are working feverishly to move legislation on everything except stopping the tax hikes and lowering spending..."
The White House spokesman is trying to keep expectations for today's meeting low - probably a good idea in light of what the Republicans had to say in their op-ed in today's paper.
On CBS' "The Early Show" this morning, Rep. Eric Cantor (soon to be the new House Majority Leader), said of today's meeting that he was "hopeful that we can all get together this morning and try and drive towards producing results for the American people."
Cantor said that the voters' message on November 2 was that more had to be done to address unemployment and job creation. "And one of the biggest hurdles to seeing that happen right now is the uncertainty surrounding the fact that tax rates are going to go up on everybody in just a few weeks if we don't act here in Washington.
"So I'm hopeful that we're going to come together to try and resolve that issue right up front," he told anchor Harry Smith.
Smith asked Cantor if there was any "wiggle room" on the Republican side, after the White House said they were on board with extending the lower tax rates for all except the very top income earners.
"We're not going to agree with [President Obama] on everything," Cantor said. "But there is one thing that I do think we can come together on, and that's the fact that we have got a stubborn unemployment rate that is hovering around 10%. We've got to bring that back down, and right now, the best thing to do is to make sure that no one gets a tax hike while we're trying to see more jobs created in the private sector.
"So, hopefully we'll see a president that is responsive to the people that spoke on November 2. He can join us, and we can make sure now we go forward with an economy that's got, you know, 'all systems go' as far as trying to get more jobs."
[Republicans who say extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans - which critics say will cost American taxpayers $700 billion over the next decade - claim that giving back to the rich will spur job creation. Analysis of unemployment from the past decade, however, shows that President Bush's cutting of tax rates on the wealthy preceded massive job losses, not job creation.
And in response to GOP claims that 750,000 small businesses will be hurt by allowing the top tax rates to expire, the Washington Post reports, "Less than 2 percent of tax returns reporting small-business income are filed by taxpayers in the top two income brackets."]
When asked if Mr. Obama's announcement yesterday that federal wages would be frozen for the next two years was a step in the right direction (in terms of compromise with Republicans), Cantor said, "Well, absolutely. That's the kind of, you know, position and cooperation that we've been asking for. This is an idea of freezing federal pay that the Republicans put forward back in May, and so we embrace that.
"Certainly I know that the American people feel that the federal government has grown entirely too big, and the pay scales need to be brought down back to match the market rates in the private sector."
Cantor may be referencing a recent USA Today study of Bureau of Economic Analysis data which showed federal civilian employees have seen their compensation rise in the past decade, to more than double what private sector workers earn.
The libertarian Cato Institute defines the $240 billion total in federal wages and benefits paid in 2009 as, "That's $240 billion in economic resources extracted from the private sector."
But Cato also shows that, among "industries," federal civilian employees actually rank sixth in compensation (wages and benefits), behind securities and investment; funds, trust and investments; oil and gas extraction; petroleum and coal; and pipeline transportation. Wall Street and Energy still trump the Civil Servant.
Public employee unions say the growing gap in compensation represents not government largesse but pruning, since over the past decade many lower-paying, lower-skilled government jobs have been contracted out to the private sector.
© MMX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Add a Comment See all 15 Comments
- Mr President, GROW A BACKBONE!! It's high time you tell them NO for a change. If you compromise with the corporate shills on this tax thing you will be harming our nation just as Bush harmed America. THINK!! We cannot afford another Trillion dollar gift to the top one percent. If tax cuts for the billionaires and millionaires created jobs we would not be in the mess we are in now. Tax cuts have never created even one job. Companies do not say, "We got a tax cut, let's hire some people who need jobs". Jobs are created when 'consumers' spend their money on goods and services and corporations are 'forced' to increase their payrolls to meet the demand. This country was grown from the bottom up, not the top down. That won't work!
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- Here! Here! I am still hanging with the President, but if he can't stand firm against these tax cuts for the rich, it will be tough to continue.
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- Republicans want AMERICA to fail...
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- So there's an article in the WSJ about how economists have been doing these models to show that if taxes are lowered a certain amount, people will make all these rational decisions and calculate that then is a good time to buy a car.
Is that what the Repubs have been relying on - that belief that the model is correct? But those models don't incorporate the idea that people think the US economy is doomed because of the trade deficit that's come into being because both parties keep thinking that trade of any sort is necessarily free, because that's what the models said based on assumptions that failed to game out the possibility that increased trade with one side unilaterally using protectionist policies could possibly be more harmful in the aggregate to individual players than helpful even though the economy overall benefits in the aggregate.
I wonder if any of the people at the table today even took Econ 101 the way they just accept without question the thoroughness of the economic models upon which they're relying. Like is that the problem? - Reply to this comment
- screw the taxcuts let them expire for everyone. all the repubs who voted for these dopes need to pay there bills, Iraq, afghanistan, no child left behind ,medicare part D, deregulation of wall st. No unemployment extensions, no taxcut extension. don't forget there too that 40% of the stimulas bill was in taxcuts and taxbreaks. and they still are whiningthat they need more. and what is there proposal for more jobs. nothing. and boners b.s. line about job killing HCR bill. he needs to give up his ins or pay for it out of his own pocket and have his wages rolled back to 2000 levels.
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- Democrats need to do nothing but allow for the Republican Plan to take place.
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- We the people put the republicans there because you are screwing up Obama! I can say this because I voted for you. Work with them or, you will be out of job in four years!
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- Ummm, Ted...I think that's what he's been trying to do for some time now. Its hard to work with folks that don't want to agree or come even half way with agreeing with him. No, No, No, has been the offering from the right. Its time for the GOP to stop acting like a bunch of children who got their candy taken from them...its time for responsibility in the affairs of the country.
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- Only when those supposedly governing us put the people the represent before their own party and political ambition, will this country succeed. Grow up, "leaders".
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- This appears to be their gameplans, right:
Pres. Obama - wants more than anything to be re-elected; will double down on attempting to govern by consensus by taking his lead from the polls
Repubs - screw the people, we want power! Down with Dems - "no, no, no"!
The worst part is when both sides try to blame the other for not being in tune with the peeps. When what we all want is leadership on smart policy which hopefully will lead to progress, right? And few of us believe we're getting it, right?
So frustrating ... - Reply to this comment
- just don't raise my taxes and keep your hands off of my social security.
I already pay enough in taxes and don't realyl get anything in return as it is. Stop looking to the middle class to pay for everything, the wealthy and poor need to do their part as well. Especially the poor, why does someone who does not even pay tax recieve most of the benefits from taxes I pay? Maybe the poor should bot be allowed to buy flat screens, expensive clothes and lottery tickets. Give them a debit card that can only be used for certain items that are truely needed.
Also socail security was supposed to be self funded, so I am tired of hearing how we need to cut it. It is the property of those who contributed. Giving lower wage workers a higher percentage is just wrong, they contributed less so they should receive less, and those who do not contribute at all should not recieve anything. - Reply to this comment
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- Funny how the GOP is the only one looking to rape the middle class.
Why should the poor, who don't have money to begin with pay more? Most poor people don't have flat screen TVs. You are reading too much stereotyping on the internet chats. -
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- Obama could have worked with the republicans in the past, however he didn't want to and didn't have to. The public has spoken and we don't want Obama's leftist socialist attitude and adjendas. Square Off means he wants a fight as I see it. He and his 2 buddies have been the ones that want washington all to themselves and rule with an iron hand. All of the pre-election verbage about a transparent administration and all the other promises were all lies that the gullable supporters believed, when in fact, his preelection politics showed him to the the farthest left politian in washington, when he did vote. The wishfull thinkers were lied to and tricked, and others just voted for skin color. If you are a union head, you love him and support him big time while others not un umions are paying the price for his lack of action in just about every need this country has had since taking office. he does get some good vacations though.
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- What are you talking about? Obama has repeatedly reached out to Republicans and continues to do so, although many are wondering why. The GOP, since day 1, has shown no willingness to meet in the middle or work with the Democrats, either in Congress or the President. I don;t expect that to change.
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- do you really believe the garbage you are spewing? or do you just listen to rush and parrot his puke?
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